A moving retractable roof generally includes lateral gutters along the lateral edges of retractable roof elements and a transverse gutter located at the base of the rear window or rear roof element.
The function of these gutters is to collect the water that flows from the roof and, in particular, passes over the sealing means provided between the various roof elements or panels composing the roof and the fixed structure.
This collected water must be drained to the ground through a drainage conduit, generally placed inside the body.
In vehicles with retractable roofs, the roof elements are movable relative to the fixed drainage conduit, and this poses a problem for the channeling of the collected water.
To obviate this problem, it is known from EP 1 281 547 to provide at the outlet of the gutter, between the collector and the drainage conduit, a flexible conduit whose length is greater than the distance between the collector and the drainage conduit.
As a result of its length and flexibility, the movement of the roof is made possible. This flexible conduit is attached at its two ends, i.e. to the collector and to the drainage conduit.
Unfortunately, however, there is wear on this conduit linked to the repeated operations of the roof. These operations fold the conduit each time, thereby weakening it in certain places.
This wear can be accentuated over time due to the aging of the material, which becomes more brittle.